Color Purple Thesis

Color Purple Thesis
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, redefines work in this society by connecting independence,
happiness, and purpose with one's job. Walker shows through multiple characters and situations that
the work that makes one happy does not necessary meet the gender constructs or pressure by
surrounding people, and it is often necessary to break these work barriers to find happiness. This
novel is attempting to show the reader that finding work that makes one happy takes time due to the
pressure to do work that will simply sustain you, rather than fulfill you. From the start of Celie's life,
she is doing what she feels is required of her and what she feels is her only option, such as marrying
Mr. and caring for his children. She is forced to marry ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Shug's self–reliance and confidence was not built throughout the novel, but established consistently
over the course of the book, despite men's feelings about her actions and attitude. As long as the
reader knows Shug, she is a singer who performs because it is what she is good at and what she
enjoys to do. She has work that she loves, therefore she possess qualities that lead to Celie posing
the rhetorical question, "Do Shug Avery mind Mr.? ... she can sit on him if he try to bother her."
(64). Nettie's purpose varies from Shug's in that she began as a young, poor, uneducated girl.
Through determination and luck, she finds missionary work that gives her a sense of duty, as in
pushing Tashi to go to school. After decades of this missionary work, Nettie returns home with a
family, who she introduces to Celie as "my husband Samuel... These our children Olivia and Adam
and this is Adam's wife Tashi." (293) Her work created a direct path to her happiness and
accomplishments. Sofia's independence, work, and happiness is also connected, but unravels
throughout the novel rather than builds. She begins as "strong, healthy girl" (32) who, when
confronted by male dominances, is said to simply "stand there in her slip. Never blink an eye." (38).
After decades of being under the control of a white family, she is more timid and less confident.
Upon returning home, "Her bigger children married and gone, her littlest children and at her, don't
know who she is. Think she act funny, look old and dote on that little white gal she raise." (200)
While Sofia's forced work ruined her connections to her family, Celie's
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

The Color Purple Setting
The setting of the American South in The Color Purple helps develop Celie's character and
contributes to her journey to find herself throughout the novel. The time when this story takes place
is key to this novel because it creates obstacles in Celie's path to find herself. It doesn't provide you
with a specific date but you assume it is sometime post–Civil War when African Americans are still
looked down upon in society. They are able to pursue whatever career they please but women are
expected to be obedient to their husbands even though they are gaining more and more freedom. The
significant settings that help to portray Celie's journey to find herself is the houses she lived in over
the years. Each house contributed to how she viewed the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The main character, Celie, shows through her letters the transformation of her beliefs as well as the
obstacles she faced in her life. Celie begins her letters to God for the first half of the book. The fact
that she was writing to God let's the readers feel the truth behind every word she says and creates a
personal bond between the reader and Celie. Celie goes through so much in her life that she needs a
source of hope in her life and for the majority of the book it is God, until she finds Nettie's letters.
When she stops writing to God you know her beliefs have shifted because she says God never did
anything for her so why would she write to him so she begins to write to Nettie instead of God. She
then latches on to Nettie which gives her even more hope that there is still some part of her true
family out in the world who she cares and loves. She makes sure every letter encaptures a detailed
description of her life at that moment in time in order to reach out to Nettie and give her a piece of
her wherever she is in the world. The letters between the sisters goes through such obstacles of
extremely long distance and Mr.____ stealing and hiding Nettie's letters to her sister. Mr.____ is
depicted as true evil when you find out he was trying to get in between the two sisters. The form of
the the

Sexism In The Color Purple
The Color Purple has won many awards including, The American Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize
in fiction. The book explores the maltreatment, hysteria and loyalties of black women throughout
the mid–1900s through the early twentieth century. Walker focuses on how change throughout time
periods can affect the black women of society. Most of the characters live life of ignorance,
completely unaware of what is occurring outside their own small neighborhood.They are greatly
oblivious of the larger social and political issues going on in the world. Although separated from
society, the women are able to work through issues of sexism, violence and racism among the group
to accomplish equality. The Color Purple is the life story of a former slave ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Celie writes to God throughout much of the novel, but she writes out of despair, not hope. Celie
feels as though she needs to believe in God because that is what society tells her. Shug helps Celie in
realizing that God is real and he came be seen in nature and within self. She sees that she never
really noticed the things that God has made"a blade of corn, the color purple, little wildflowers."
(179) Now that she believes she comes to the realization that salvation comes from developing the
self and by celebrating everything that exists. Celie realizes that joy will soon come to her and she
learns to celebrate life's pleasures, including the color purple.She is finally starting to find herself at
this moment. This part of Celie's journey is so important because it is significant to the novel's
overall message that "no one is exempt from the possibility of a conscious connection to All That
Is," (stated in the preface). The novel ends on a celebratory note, they are celebrating The Fourth of
July along with all of the divisions between people closing. All of the abuse and all of the bad,
unforgivable incidents, are forgiven. Everyone is happy and together. The theme of "Love redeems"
is fulfilled. Everybody is redeemed from their love of another

Outline For The Color Purple
1. Point of View: The novel The Color Purple is written from the first person point of view. The
effect that the author achieves by using the first person point of view is that while you are reading
the book you could put yourself in the main character's shoes and actually imagine what she is going
through and how she feels. 2. Main Characters: a. Celie in her early 50s b. Three adjectives that
would describe Celie are scared, timid, and vulnerable. The quote that supports my choices is "I
think about Nettie, dead. She fight, she run away. What good it do? I don't fight, I stay where I'm
told. But I'm alive" (Walker 21). c. Celie is a round and dynamic character due to the big change she
goes through in the novel. At the beginning she was obedient ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Nettie is a flat and static character because in the novel she doesn't change at all, she is the same
person from the beginning till the end. d. This character's function in the novel is being the sister and
friend of Celie. Even though they are far apart they never stop communicating from one another
because they always wrote letters to each other. e. In my opinion there is no significance to Nettie's
name. f. "You've got to fight and get away from Albert. He ain't no good" (Walker 122). This quote
shows how caring Nettie is with Celie because she is warning her about Albert and that he may be
dangerous. Also she doesn't want her sister to suffer which is why she writes her the letter about
what Albert was going to do to her. 3. Minor Characters: a. Celie's mother b. The connection that
this character has to both Nettie and Celie is that she is their mother. Her name is never mentioned
throughout the book and she is the wife of Fonso who is the stepfather of Celie and Nettie. c. Celie's
mother is always sick and pregnant. a. Olivia b. Olivia is the daughter of Celie but is raised by
Corrine because she was sold by Fonso. Later Corrine dies and Nettie becomes their mother and
talks to them about Celie. c. Olivia is obedient and cares about her education. 4.

The Color Purple
The Color Purple is a novel written by Alice Walker. The novel is written in letter format. The main
character, Celie, writes to God about her life. The story starts out with 14 year old Celie being raped
by her Pa. Her Pa got her pregnant two times. Once her babies were born, Pa took them away. Celie
let Pa rape and abuse her to protect her sister Nettie, who was a couple years younger than her. Celie
and Nettie were very close and told each other everything. One day, Nettie started dating Mr. __. Mr.
__ wanted to marry Nettie but Pa wouldn't let him, leaving his next best option, Celie. Pa married
off Celie to Mr. __. Being just as abusive and cruel to her, Celie resented Mr.__ and her Pa. Celie
took care of his four children, cleaned his ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Since Mr.__ had a crush on Nettie, he started to flirt and hit on her. Ignoring him, sent Mr.__ into an
outrage. He decided to kick Nettie out of his house which left Celie distraught. Nettie promised to
write to Celie, but Celie never heard from her. Because Nettie left, Celie's life turned upside down.
But, after awhile, she finally found happiness again when Mr.__ brought Shug Avery home. Shug
was Mr.__'s mistress and had fallen sick. Expecting Celie to fix Shug, Mr.__ treats Celie with a little
bit more respect. Shug was a beautiful woman with an incredible talent of singing. Celie falls in love
with Shug and after some time, Shug falls in love with her too. Teaching Celie how to be happy
again and showing her what a true friend and romance feels like, Shug became Celie's everything.
One day, Celie discovered a letter written from Nettie. Celie and Shug found out that Mr.__ had
been hiding all of Nettie's letters. Reading all of Nettie's letters gave Celie a new purpose in life.
Changing into a powerful, independent woman, Celie stuck up for herself and decided to leave Mr.
__. She was over being the submissive wife, who let her husband walk all over

Essay on Color Purple
Making the Changes
Rape, incest, sex, forced labor, and a bit of reefer. These are some of the components of a Novel by
Alice Walker. These views are illustrated proficiently in Walker's third novel, The Color Purple.
These aspects had a lasting impression upon ideals and beliefs of the time period. Her writing's
helped to break the racial tension and barrier that was present in some people's minds. One of the
ways that the barrier was eliminated was through her depiction of an imperfect black person. If a
white person were to write about an imperfect black person it would be considered racist. " I think
the most chilling thing to me about the response to The Color Purple was that people said ' this ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
At first, main character Celie, tells her stepson Harpo, to beat his proud wife Sofia, who is not
listening to his orders and demands. Sofia responds by throwing the curtain Celie had given her at
her Celie's feet. After having a short argument and sharing a laugh about busting men's heads open,
the two women pick up and refashion this gift into a Sister's Choice quilt. However, in the film, they
do not make peace this way. Sofia throws down the curtains and gets angry, but then returns through
a field of tall corn where she came from. Still hot, she glares back at Celie several times with her
mean eyes and facial expression. Sofia had advised Celie to resist her husband Albert's abuse, but
Celie is left looking shameful for bringing abuse upon Sofia, the scene then ends without the two
women resolving their differences in any kind of agreement. If this conclusion were different, the
film may delay Walker's point that Celie will begin to stand up to men sooner or later, but the film
changes the final meaning of their argument within their own relationship. Later Sofia and Celie do
seem to be reconciled, not by sewing, but through a change in roles. In the novel Sofia also falls as
Celie rises, and vice versa.
The film shows Sofia's strength through the powerful looks she gives when physical violence is
occurring around her. The look she gave Celie in the cornfield is nothing when compared to

Analysis Of The Color Purple
On December 20, 1985, a new African American film was introduced to the big screen, The Color
Purple. The film is based a novel by Alice Walker, the novel was also titled The Color Purple. It was
directed by one of the most popular directors and producers in the film industry, Steven Spielberg.
The film made over 91 million dollars in the box office after 20weeks, and overall 98 million dollars
since it was released. It starred several amazing actors such as: Whoopi Goldberg (Celie), Danny
Glover (Albert), Oprah Winfrey (Sofia), and Margaret Avery (Shug Avery). The Color Purple has
been nominated for 11 Academy Awards. It is an iconic film that addresses issues such as oppression
and sexism toward women, the film setting is 1909–1950, but the issues it addresses still exist today.
The Color Purple is a period drama, and takes place in rural Georgia. The main character in this film
is Celie, and film starts off from Celie's 14–year–old perspective. From a very young age Celie
experienced multiple forms of abuse. First from her father, who had raped and verbally abused her.
At the beginning of the film, Celie gives birth to her second child, conceived by her and her father
(Alphonso). He took her child same as he did the first, and whisper to her "better not never tell
nobody but God". A little later in the film, a suitor by the name MR appears. He comes to Alphonso,
looking to get Celie's younger sister Nettie's hand in Marriage. Alphonso turns him down, and
instead offers

Color Purple Themes
Alice Walker's highly regarded and controversial novel, The Color Purple, has been the rage of film
circles since its big screen release in 1985. Steven Spielberg, director, chose Alice Walker's story of
an impoverished rural black community in the early twentieth century American South as his vehicle
for dramatic affirmation from his distorted reputation as a creator of popular youthful fantasies.
Consequently, he chose the perfect story for this transformation. The Color Purple depicts the tragic
lives of a dirt poor African American South and the dirt poor morals and values that coincided with
this community. Specifically, the film and novel track the life Celie and those closely surrounding
her. Since she was a young child, horrific sexual ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He elicits powerful performances from Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover, and his instincts proved
particularly invaluable in the castion of the then relatively unknown Whoopi Goldberg. Her Celie
rarely speaks but is full emotion, relayed through Goldberg's impressive, Oscar–nominated
performance that does more with a well–timed smile than most actors do with a showy monologue.
She vividly conveys the desperateness of the situation while constantly keeping a quiet optimism
and faith, portrayed almost exclusively through Goldberg's telling body language, speaking volumes
of the cultural male domination. This concept of domination versus subordination is also displayed
through Sofia's character and her relationships. Controversially progressive, Sofia fights back when
Harpo tries at physical abuse and retorts a bold "Hell no" when the mayor's wife persistently asks if
she would like to be her maid. Sadly, Sofia's fighter attitude is not tolerated by everybody and lands
her twelve years in jail following the "Hell no" incident in

The Color Purple Analysis
While the film is not an exact replica of the novel, Mel Watkins, a book editor and writer, also
criticizes the choices of Alice Walker and other writers similar to her in his 1986 article "Sex,
Racism, and Black Women Writers". Because Watkins wrote the article a mere four years after The
Color Purple's release, Watkins' belief that "black women writers who have chosen black men as a
target have set themselves outside a tradition that is nearly as old as black American literature itself"
is a direct window into the mindset of the people reading Alice Walker's novel at the time. In this
way, Watkins defines Alice Walker as an author who is more controversial and therefore less likely
to be accepted. Watkins goes on to write that "in almost every instance throughout the history of
black American literature there has been agreement on the basic underlying desire to present
positive images of blacks". With Celie's blatant abuse and rape from "Mr. ______", a black man,
The Color Purple was rapidly criticized and rejected at the time of its release. However, Harper
Lee's character Tom Robinson follows the "tradition" Watkins describes in his article. Not only does
Tom Robinson's trial mimic that of the Scottsboro trial, but it portrays him as a purely innocent man.
Tom Robinson is the victim, which is a label that is especially enforced when he states that he is
"scared I'd hafta face up to what I didn't do" (Lee 225). The difference between the men in Harper
Lee's novel

Violence In The Color Purple
Olivia Bell
Ms. Wienkes
American Literature
06 May 2015
Violence as a Theme in The Color Purple
Physical, emotional and verbal abuse were a common part of life in the deep south in the early
1900's– especially if you were black, and even more so if you were a woman. In The Color Purple
by Alice Walker, Celie experienced violent abuse at the hands of different people throughout their
lives. They learned to be strong, even when life was at its worst. Celie is purely a victim she's
repeatedly raped by her father, her children are taken away from her, and she's into marriage to a
man.
Celie's narrative actually begins as a result of her victimization. Her father tells her she'd better keep
it between herself and God and tell no one else ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When Mr. _____ came to ask if he could take Celie's sister, Nettie, to be his wife, her father offered
that Mr. _____ could take Celie instead.
Mr. _____ eventually decided to take Celie home to be his wife and raise his children. When she
first arrived, his oldest son threw a rock at her and split her head open. She was still expected to
cook, care for the children, and have sex with Mr. ____ while her head was bandaged. Mr. _____
beat Celie throughout their entire marriage. Harpo, his son, asked him why he beat her. "Mr. _____
say, Cause she my wife. Plus, she stubborn. All women good for–– he don't finish." (Walker 22).
The cycle of abuse continues with Mr. _____'s children, as Harpo starts beating his wife, Sophia,
following the advice of his father and Celie. When Harpo starts beating her, Sophie confronts Celie
about the sins she did to her. She said it's tough to live in a man's world, but she will fight to the
bitter death for her rights as a person if she needs to. Sofia said that she had to fight her whole life
growing up in a family of men, and she fought right back when Harpo tried to beat her. Sofia left
Harpo because she didn't want to live in an abusive relationship. Unfortunately, she lands in jail for
sassing the mayor's wife. Celie visits her in in jail. "When I see Sofia I don't know why she still

alive. They crack her skull, they crack her ribs. They tear her nose loose on one side. They blind her
on

Stereotypes In The Color Purple
In the 19th century, Alice Walker wrote about a young girl who was discovering her true strength
and pushing through all of the obstacles presented to her. The novel describes Celie's life and all of
the dominant people she is introduced to. Celie represents the idea that no matter where someone is
from, they can amount to anything they truly want. The Color Purple introduces the disruption of
gender roles throughout the novel, and how they affect Celie's growth as a person.
During the 19th century, women typically had no say in society, especially in domestic situations.
This way of life is front and center in The Color Purple, so when the character Sofia was introduced,
Celie was definitely intrigued. Throughout the beginning of the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
She begins to refer to herself as a tree because anything she does is frowned upon, so not doing
anything is preferred. After Shug arrives, Celie has her first encounter with a beautiful, promiscuous
woman. Compared to anyone, let alone Shug, Celie is an extremely shy and diplomatic character. So
when Shug refers to Mr. _____ as weak, she is surprised that a woman would have the audacity to
speak that way. Shug acts as an opposing force to gender roles because she is so willing to push the
boundaries of life and announce all of the flaws people possess. During that time era, men were
automatically considered the dominant role in a relationship. By talking about a man being flawed,
showed Celie that nobody is perfect. Shug's descriptions of Mr. ____ allow Celie to interpret life in
a new way, instead of being confined by the mainstream ways of thinking. Recognizing the
existence of these alternatives gives Celie a sense of control and is an important step in her move
toward independence. Shug's defiance affects Celie's confidence and inspires her to stand up for
herself. Celie's assertion of herself comes forcefully, when she breaks through her silence and lets go
of all her built up anger. She tells him that until he fixes what he has done, everything he touches
will crumble. It shows that her confidence is higher than ever and she is no longer a helpless object.
She accepts

Essay The Color Purple
The Color Purple by Alice Walker is a very controversial novel, which many people found to be
very offensive. It is basically the struggle for one woman's independence. The main character in The
Color Purple is Celie a coloured woman with little or no education at all. She is one who has been
used and abused by all the men in her life, and because of these men, she has very little courage or
ambition in her life. She has so little courage, that all she wants to do is just survive. Through the
various women she meets throughout here life like: Shug, her sister, and Harpo's wife, she learns
how to enjoy herself, gain courage and happiness. She finally learns enough and with the final straw
she could no longer bare, she leaves her husband ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Shug Avery is not only a friend to Celie but also a lover. It is by being a lover that Celie learns self–
respect and a little happiness in her life. Like when Shug Avery showed Celie how to enjoy herself.
Listen she say, right down there in your ... is a little button that gits real hot when you do you know
what with somebody. It get hotter and hotter and then it melt. That the good part. But other parts
good too, she say... (P. 79). I found this real important as it showed Celie she can enjoy herself and
there is more to her then just being a slave to Mister. Another important woman in Celie's life was
Harpo's wife Sofia. Sofia wasn't as important to Celie as Shug Avery or her sister Nettie, but it was
Sofia's actions that I believe helped inspire Celie. For when Harpo tried to beat Sofia, thanks to
Celie's advice to Harpo to beat his wife, Sofia would always fight back. Not only emotionally but
physically as well, for one day when Celie was going to Harpo's house she saw Harpo and Sofia
fighting like twos mens (P. 44). And I think Celie was really shocked when Sofia confronted her on
why Celie told Harpo to beat Sofia. I say it cause I'm a fool, I say it cause I'm jealous of you. I say it
cause you do what I can't. What that? She say. Fight I say. ... She say all my life I had to fight. I had
to fight my daddy. I had to fight my brothers ... cousins ... uncles. A girl child ain't safe in a family of
men. But I never thought I'd have

Analysis Of The Color Purple
The Past Helps Shape a Better Future According to the Ark of Hope for Children, 1,850 children die
a year by some form of child abuse. Assault must be noticed, especially because it affects so many
people worldwide. The Color Purple by Alice Walker focuses extensively on this idea and the
ramifications of rape. In the novel, the main protagonist Celie is compelled to live with a man
named Mr. _____, whose last name is unidentified in the book, who constantly makes her work in
the fields and clean the house along with taking care of his three rude children. As she reaches her
adulthood, Celie undergoes certain changes in life that ultimately guide her in the direction of
finding God again and rediscovering his powerful influence on everyone's lives. Critics banned The
Color Purple due to its themes of incest, birth of children outside of marriage, rape, sexual pleasure,
and lesbian activity. Despite the sexual and violent content in The Color Purple, the novel should be
studied in high school curriculum due to the literary elements that contribute to a reader's
understanding of real–world issues.
The Color Purple develops themes of religious transformation and equality throughout the story that
are necessary for teenagers to understand due to their meaningful lessons on human nature.
Throughout the story, Celie reveals her depiction of God as simply an ordinary white man who takes
advantage of black citizens. Shug redirects Celie's thinking by telling her that God is only

Color Purple Banned
The Color Purple
There's always been a controversy on whether certain books should have to be banned from school
libraries or if they shouldn't. Due to the fact that most books either have vulgar language, sexual
context, violence, or even racism. Although, most books always speak the truth and show the real
world issues that are out there. The Color Purple is one of those many books that have been removed
from school libraries for multiple reasons. The book was written during an era that shows how
women were treated, abused, raped, and mistreated in every possible way. I strongly disagree The
Color Purple should have been banned and should be allowed in school libraries. The color purple is
a book where two women come together for the love ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Cellie is faced with mistreating's from several men, leaving her with no self–confidence and self–
worth. Being forced to have sexual intercourse, if not threatened by Mr. __, that he would kill her
mother. As any women would, Cellie was let with pain, eventually leaving her feeling worthless and
having no value to herself. When Harpo questions Mr.__ why he consistently beats Cellie his
response is, "well how you spect to make her mind? Wives are like children. You have to let them
know who got the upper hand. Nothing can do that better than a good sound beating. (Walker. Pg.
42.) In the real world, there are multiple cases where a man regularly beats women for his sexual
desire and when the women are out in public they are supposed to act as if nothing is ever
happening or as if there's nothing to tell. As Cellie explained in the book, "everybody saw how good
I am to Mr. __ children, I am good to them. But I don't feel nothing for them" (Walker. Pg. 10.)
Showing how Cellie is dead inside and doesn't feel love for any person in her life nor is she loved by
anyone, also explaining how lonely she

The Color Purple Essay
In Alice Walker's The Color Purple, Celie leads a life filled with abuse at the hands of the most
important men in her life. As result of the women who surround and help her, Celie becomes
stronger and overcomes the abuse she experienced. The three most influential women in Celie's life
are her sister Nettie, her daughter–in–law Sofia, and the singer Shug Avery. These are the women
who lead Celie out of her shell and help her turn from a shy, withdrawn woman to someone who
was free to speak her mind and lead her own independent life. Celie is inspired by her sister's
independence, determination and perseverance in Africa among foreign people whom Nettie cares
about deeply. Celie saw the impact that a woman could have on others and felt ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Shug Avery is someone Celie admired from a young age. Shug's exuberance and charm with people
are qualities Celie never dreamed of having herself until Shug walks into her life and Celie does
more with her life by actually overcoming the abuse and becomes someone more. "I ast her to give
me the picture. An all night long I stare at it. An now when I dream, I dream of Shug Avery."
(Walker 7). Shug comes into Celie's life as her husband's mistress who was very ill but not lacking
in character. She treats Celie with disrespect at first, but after living with her for some time and
being nursed back to health by her Shug gains a respect for her. She teaches Celie how to speak for
herself and to defend herself against Mr. Shug is the one who helps Celie escape by taking her on
her tour where Celie learns how to expertly sew pants. This is another major step towards
independence because Celie is no longer financially dependent on anyone but herself because she
creates a successful business by making pants. Upon her return to her home, she inherits her father's
home thereby completely separating her from the men who held control over her. She can now
receive her sister's letters and make her own money. The people who love her surround her and her
personality develops unhindered by abuse. Celie's idol came through to set her free and now idolizes
her to an extent. After Celie's new independence, her

Symbolism In The Color Purple
To most, the color purple holds insignificant meaning. It is a simple intermediate color lying
between red and blue, with very little significance other than to be someone's favorite color. In all
reality, the color holds so much more meaning. In the novel, "The Color Purple," the color is used as
an allusion to biblical reference. Aside from the color itself, other references were made through
direct conversation with God and the main characters struggle to maintain belief in a higher being
despite her life's troubles. The first reference we see to God is seen in the color purple. The color
itself represents the things in the world God created for man to enjoy; such as love. In the very
beginning of the novel, the main character does not seem to have much sense of anything let alone
the color purple. She goes through life trying to survive the cruel world she is put in, instead of
enjoying life itself. It was not until her many interactions with Shug Avery did she realize that the
color is just an example of the things that God created to give people pleasure. The irony lies in the
title itself, purple represents wealth and royalty while Celie is nothing close to that. The irony is
demonstrated by Celie's life; she is a poor black woman who has been raped and dehumanized
throughout her entire life yet, towards the end of the novel she finds peace and is finally able to
acknowledge the 'purple'. In this novel, the simple color holds much more meaning to Celie's life

Women Of Color In The Color Purple
The novel, The Color Purple, portrays a story about two sisters who communicate through various
letters about their life while they are separated. In the end, they join together through their love and
are finally reunited after thirty years. With the morals of race, gender, and life, the rating of this
novel is excellent. As an African American woman in the Pre–civil rights time, Celie did not feel
welcome or in place during her life in The United States. Women of color in this book were often
victims of white men's crime. Mr._____ saw Celie as any other woman and treated her like "any
husband would". He would physically abuse her for any wrongdoing. When the author showed this
unhealthy relationship, it taught the readers that there should ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
As a husband, Harpo thought his role was to abuse his wife for any misbehavior or wrongdoing or .
Sofia, unlike most African American women, stood up for herself and did not take the attempted
abuse of Harpo. During a conversation between Harpo and Mr._____ he says, "Wives is like
children., ou have to let 'em know who got the upper hand. Nothing can do that better than a good
sound beating," (Walker 34). In this quote, Mr._____ advised Harpo to abuse his wife as he would to
children. Teachings and instructions like these from his father sculpted Harpo's abusive attitude
towards Sofia. After Harpo tried to abuse Sofia from listening to Celie's advice, Sofia confronts
Celie and asks her why she would say such a thing. She says to her, "All my life I had to fight. I had
to fight my daddy, i had to fight my brothers, my cousins, uncles. A girl ain't safe in a family of men.
But I never thought I'd had to fight in my own house," (Walker 38). Sofia explains that she has faced
physical abuse from different family members, but never thought she would receive it from her
husband. This creates a conflict between Sofia and Harpo resulting in her feeling a greater insecurity
and

The Community In The Color Purple
"What unites the characters of The Color Purple is a shared experience of suffering" (Fiske 151). In
her article, Shanyn Fiske unifies all characters in The Color Purple through something that everyone
experiences in their life–suffering. While all characters suffer in the novel, Alice Walker illustrates
the universal need for community in order to cope and recognize our own unique experiences of
suffering
The isolation and abuse that Celie receives and the unique path that she follows modeled by Shug
Avery shows the dire need for community in our lives. A turning point in the dark life of Celie is
when Celie and Shug talk about God saying, "Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance and
holler, just trying to be loved" (Walker 196). These ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The way Mary Agnes gravitates towards Shug for support shows the need for a source of
community in order to find answers on how to cope with the abuse she receives from Sofia. After
being used to save Sofia and later punched in the face, Shug finally recognizes the potential in Mary
Agnes, "I mean, Mary Agnes, You ought to sing in public" (Walker 115). This small step Shug
nonchalantly takes in encouraging Mary to sing changes Mary Agnes' life forever. This small hint of
community given to Mary Agnes highlights how much help so little community can do for one
person. Having little training and confidence in her singing ability, Mary Agnes is inspired because
of who the reassurance is coming from. Shug exudes confidence and is one of the few women that
stands up for herself in the novel. It is because of these charismatic characteristics that Mary Agnes
has so much trust in Shug. Fiske suggests, "Human beings...are capable of shaping their identities
through responsive interactions with others" (152). This statement from Fiske illustrates the
importance of our "responsive interactions" because they shape who we are as a person. Through
Mary Agnes' interactions with Shug, Mary finds confidence in her true identity as a singer and
builds her career from it because Shug gives her compliments on her singing.When Mary Agnes
finally recognizes her talent in singing with the help of Shug Avery, she copes with the abuse but
also finds her unique path in life which is fruitful and

Color Purple Archetypes
Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, portrays the main character Celie as an introverted
butterfly who has yet to come out of her cocoon, hiding away from confrontation and actions that
could cause negative reactions. As the story progresses, she blossoms before the reader, becoming
more present in her world where she would otherwise be shuttered in. Her character development is
due to the introduction of two very empowering and independent women, acting as female
archetypes throughout the novel. Shug, a woman with a fiery personality that ignites inspiration in
Celie to further herself as a woman, is the main focal point of the female archetype in this novel.
Celie wants to change herself; not to fit into the mold in which Shug has pushed herself into, but to
better her life. Shug's personality was able to rid Celie of the internal dark cloud living inside her.
Shug is clearly identified as a female archetype throughout the novel; an empowering woman who
stands against the odds she has been faced with. Another female archetype in the novel is Sofia,
Mr._____'s (Celie's husband) daughter in law. Sofia shares many qualities when compared to Shug;
however, in a more feisty and stand ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
A character can also share traits of more than one class of archetypes. Shug is both the "Caregiver"
archetype and the "Hero" archetype (Latimer). Throughout the novel, Shug transitions from the
bitter, confrontational women who detests Celie to the person who is there to pick her up and dry her
tears, becoming a caregiver of sorts. She can also be seen as possessing the hero archetype because
Celie admires Shug and aspires to be similar to her, not in her behavior but her confident
personality. Celie sees how easily it is for Shug to stand up for herself and to act confident around
higher male figures, both are things she has never managed to

Color Purple Reports
The Color Purple Book Report
The Color Purple explores and introduces many themes including, the ability to express your
thoughts through writing and letters, female relationships, sexism, racism and gender roles that
occurred during the early 1900's in the South. The author of the novel Alice Walker, uses the
characters of the novel to help the main character Celie find herself as a woman and stand up to the
men in her life that take advantage of her. The Color Purple is an epistolary and fiction novel made
up of Celie's, the protagonists, letters to God where she talks about the struggles of being an African
American woman subjected to the cruel prejudices in the South. The novel was originally published
in 1982 by Harcourt although it is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Celie has been through the abuse her father caused and her husband. She has raped constantly by her
father, who raped her to fulfil the sexual needs that his wife couldn't give him because she was
terribly sick. She goes through it to protect her younger sister Nettie, who she didn't want anything
to happen to. In Celie's adult life, she meets Shug Avery and Sophia who help her find her voice.
They serve as a good example for Celie because they embody everything she lacks. Celie's first
breakthrough of wanting to break her silence with her husband is when she finds out he was been
hiding the letters her sister Nettie had beens sending her. In the letters Nettie sent Celie, she explains
that Celie's husband told Nettie she would never see or hear from Celie again because she fought
back when he tried to rape her. Celie's husband initially wanted to marry Nettie so he had always
had a fantasy of being with Nettie. Celie had figured her sister was killed because she hadn't heard
from her in several years. Shug and Celie found all of Nettie's letters in her husband's locked trunk.
Celie was so enraged with anger she considered killing her husband but Shug tried to calm her down
by telling her when he was a much better and happier man. Shug's stories don't help and Celie
remains angry and unafraid of her husband. In Nettie's letters, she tells Celie that her children

The Color Purple Analysis
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker is narrated by a woman named Celie. Celie brings a young
African–American women who was unable to have the proper education or treatment she desired for
a majority of her life time. Throughout the story Celie searches for freedom and power through the
abuse, love, and challenges that she endures. Throughout the novel, segregation plays an important
role, and the difference between black people and white people are shown through race and life. In
the beginning of the book, Celie is treated very poorly by the people that have power over her. Celie
being an African–American during the 1920's did not exactly know how to see herself as an
important, independent strong women. She then saw nothing in her race to be particularly proud of.
Being a women you should feel confident, strong, and empowered. During that period of time,
having zero self worth and not feeling important was an effect of not having control over your body,
and the things that you would want to do. This is shown when Sofia is having a conversation with a
friend and says, "I wonder why she was even born. Well, I say, is don't have to wonder that bout
darkies." This shows that having an opinion on race and other situations did not matter and neither
did other situation. If you were considered "lower class" or "less fortunate," then you were treated as
if you were invisible. Being considered "less fortunate" meant you were lower than the rest. From
reading this novel, it seems as though there are multiple characters throughout the book that tend to
be victims of violence, and men attempt to exert their dominance over women. Mainly focusing on
their wives and family members, by beating them aggressively and raping them in certain situations.
In the story Pa has recently been committing several forms of violence against Celie. Pa is clearly
violent towards her by raping her and beating her. In the book, Celie describes an interaction that
she once had with Pa and how she was being severely abused. Celie expresses, "He [Pa] never had a
kine word to say to me. Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldn't. First he put his thing up
gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my breast. Then he

Ethos In The Color Purple
The Color Purple is an honest emotional story about love, trust, respect, separation, friendships, and
the bond between sisters. It was published back in 1982 by Alice Walker. Walker is a huge activist,
and even participated in the 1960's Civil Rights Movements in Mississippi. Throughout her novel
she uses excellent rhetoric to convey her strong emotions. The Color Purple uses ethos to show you
how horrible abuse is, logos to help give the characters confidence, and pathos to convey the pain.
Throughout the Color Purple Walker uses ethos to show the harshness of abuse, both mentally and
physically. Especially, Shug's relationships with just about everyone. Mr. ___ says it best on page
287: "All I ever wanted in life was Shug Avery, he ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For example, on page 210 when Celie is fighting with Mr. ___: "I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly
and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here." Logically Celie doesn't have much
going for her, but she completely acknowledges that. By doing so she gives herself the confidence to
change her fate. Nothing worse could happen to her then what already has. Also, there's logos when
Nettie is talking to the Olinka mothers: "Why, she said the mother of his children. But I am not the
mother of anybody's children, I said, and I am something." This is extremely logical, and a great
comeback, because Nettie is something. She might just be a black missionary, but she is something.
Therefore, it isn't fair to limit the poor girls of their education just so they can be a full time wife. In
addition, this statement gives Nettie lots of confidence that she can succeed as a women, missionary,
black, and in a completely different country. By recognizing the logical realness of their lives the
characters were able to build up their confidence to persevere.
Throughout the Color Purple Walker uses pathos to convey the pain that the characters feel. For
instance, on pages 287–288 when Mr. ____ makes a speech about asking himself questions after
Shug left him: "I start to wonder why us need love. Why us suffer. Why us black......The more I
wonder, he say, the morel love." During the speech there's even repetition when he begins each
sentence with why us. By dragging

The movie ''The Color Purple'' is a 1985 drama film that portrays the historical period. This film
sheds light on the struggles that African American women faced during the 1930s. The Color Purple
is about the life of Celie Harris, a poor black girl who married against her wish to an older black
man. This movie was a great portrayal of history, which was directed by Steven Spielberg in a new
light, this movie also shows realism and grit.
The movie The Color Purple shows an intercultural perspective using concepts like racism,
stereotypes, socialized cultures and the power distance between men and women. In this era,
women, in general, were socialized into the cultural norms of the times. There was very high power
distance between males and females and black women were specifically mistreated not only by the
member of other races but also by men from their race. Women ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
This movie is an upbeat, affirmative fable in which optimism, patience, and family loyalty emerge
as cardinal virtues, and in which even the wife beating villain has charm. This movie shows the
story of a shy young heroine, whose life is filled with disappointment and hardship, even the most
brutal events are set forth. Around the world, women are facing the similar issues but never had their
stories be told. The Color Purple has a lot of heartbreaking scenes, a very emotional scene, in
particular, was when teenage Celie was forcibly separated from her beloved sister Nettie. This film
depicts the reality of women, and their day to day lives, in this era, they were told what to do, they
had to follow their husbands rule without any sign of defying. Women were not treated as an equal
to man but as a lesser person in society, especially African American women. Girls were expected to
get married a young age, bore children and take care of the home; they weren't given rights to vote,
or further their education beyond a certain

Thesis For The Color Purple
"The Color Purple by Alice Walker. In 1982 Alice Walkers career as a writer took flight with the
publication of her third novel, The Color Purple (Bio). The Color Purple is one of the most
controversial and revolutionary black female–authored texts in the African– American experience.
Alice Walker explores the themes of gender discriminations, racial discrimination, rape, and sexism
in the book. The Color Purple won Alice Walker both Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the National
Book Award for Fiction in 1983(Bio).
The Color Purple starts down on a farm in Southern United States at the beginning of the 20th
century. The Story of Celie a poor, barely literate fourteen–year–old black girl that lives with her
stepfather and her sister Nettie. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
finally realizes that he has treated Celie wrong over the years and apologies to her they become
friends. Their relationship was based on the love for Shug. Finally Shug returns to Celis and Mr. and
they was all reunited. Not long after that Nettie, her husband, and Celie's children Olivia, and Adam
return from Africa. Celie was not expecting it so she was very happy to see them.
In the final letter in the book is a letter to God, But with Celie's new out look at the world. "Dear
God, Dear stars, dear tress, dear sky, dear people, dear everything, dear God."(285) In this letter she
thanks God for bringing Nettie back to her. At the end of the book Celie had grown into a strong,
independent women who stands up for her–self, she was full of confidence, love for life, love for
others, and herself.
What does the Color purple have to do with Sociology class? First what is Sociology? According to
the textbook it is the scientific study of society and human behavior. (G–6) The Color Purple was an
interesting book to read I didn't realize how much sociology played a role in the Southern United
States during the 20th century. Through out the entire book sociology was used weather it be
Religion, gender discriminations, racial discrimination, rape, sexism, and

Sofia In The Color Purple
"They name the most powerful storms after a women for a reason. "(Sin) but on the contrary, as
stated in the quote above, there are many characters in The Color Purple that stress women
empowerment such as Shug Avery, Sofia, Olivia, Tashi, and Kate. One major character who
influences the change in Celie is Sofia. Sofia has been fighting her whole life against the men in her
family and now she fighting Harpo for her rights as an individual. When Celie and Sofia have their
argument, Celie says:
"You told Harpo to beat me, she said.
No I didn't, I said.
Don't lie, she said.
I didn't mean it, I said.
Then what you say it for? she ast.
She standing there looking me straight in the eye. She look tired and her jaws full of air.
I say it cause I'm ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
People learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love for love comes more
naturally to the human heart than its opposite."(Mandela) Alice Walker broke gender roles with a
certain character and she did the same with racism. She contradicted racism with Ms.Millies
daughter. When Sofia and Celie are having a conservation, Celie says "She seem like a right sweet
little thing, I say to Sofia. Who is? She frown. The little girl, I say. What they call her Eleanor Jane.
Yeah, say Sofia, with a real puzzle look on her face, I wonder why she was ever born. Well, I say, us
don't have to wonder that about darkies"(198). Alice Walker invites a special character called
Eleanor Jane, who is the racist Mayor's daughter. One side of the spectrum there's the Mayor and his
wife who are insensitive towards the black race and then their daughter feels guilty for what her
parents did to innocent Sofia, so she tries to create a relationship with the Sofia. She always thought
of Sofia as an important person in her life and saw her as a mother figure and was desperate to make
her happy. It shows that there is a change in racism as generations go by. Her parents look at black
people as if were born as slaves for white people, but then next generation knows how to respect
people not for their ethnicity but for who they are.The author showed the struggled of Celie and

The Color Purple Quotes
"I'm pore, I'm black, I may be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here."
(Walker, 210); based on those words said by Celie it can be inferred that she is illustrated in The
Color Purple by Alice Walker as passive, since she often allows people to take advantage of her
hence, her quote making a reference to how her husband calls her "poor, black, and ugly..."
Secondly, she is also a firm believer, taking into consideration that she is constantly writing letters
addressed to God throughout the book. Finally, she is also a person of great character, as she
withstood all her trials and tribulations with her integrity intact.
To begin, The Color Purple is a book relatable to plentiful women that have been also abused, ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Instead she faces reality and continues with her life, even though her father constantly abused her, he
gave away her children, she had a crazy mother who died, she was sold into marriage by her step pa
and was separated from her sister and now she might never see her again. However, she still keeps
her integrity and she does not break. Her life starts getting worse when she marries Mr.__ because
more problems start coming into her life. He starts off by insulting her and making her feel
worthless, like if no one will ever love her. To worsen things he also hides every letter Nancy
(Celie's sister) ever wrote to Celie making matters harder on her, but at the end she does not let
Mr.__ take advantage of her anymore like every other man has in her life. For the first time Celie
speaks up for herself and puts her abusive husband in place, thus creating at first anger in him, but
she did not let herself be beaten up anymore but then this lead to a change in character to Mr.__ . He
finally understood the real value of women and succumbed to the fact that women are humans and
nothing less than that and they deserve equal

The Color Purple as a Parable
The Color Purple Parable
According to Scholl's article, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, is a parable. In classifying a story
as a parable, Scholl determines that a parable must be a "movement through a realistically
improbable sequence of narrative reversals toward a conclusion that defies realistic expectations."
(Scholl, 255) These reversals are very evident throughout the novel and render the conclusion
unrealistic. In almost every character, there is an ironic reversal of what should happen and what
does happen.
With the main character Celie, she overcomes her hardships with her childhood and marriage to
achieve complete happiness. Her childhood consists of a father that rapes her and gives her kids
away. He also gives her ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This reversal from a sure bleak and meaningless life to one of total happiness is a direct
contradiction to the social norm of what the reader would assume.
Shug Avery also has a reversal in character. At first she is presented as an ungodly woman who sings
in bars. She had become a smoker and an alcoholic, who had slept with a lot of men and is said to
possibly have some unclean disease. Shug had become very sickly when she met Celie. By the end
of the novel, she returns to the church and also goes back to her father, who had exiled her from the
family. She too had achieved total happiness through Celie.
Other reversals happen with Harpo (Celie's brother–in–law), Sophia, and Squeak. Harpo and Sophia
marry, but Sophia doesn't listen to Harpo like he feels a woman should, so he beats her. Sophia ends
up leaving Harpo and has a fight with his new girlfriend Squeak. The reversal comes at the end of
the novel when Squeak incorporates total trust in Sophia as her loyal friend and keeper of her kids,
while she pursues singing.
Sophia's reversal deals with the race controversy in the deep South. Whites were of course
considered dominant and ruled the blacks. Sophia was originally put in jail for hitting the Mayor.
She got out ofjail on an agreement to be the Mayor's family servant. According to social standards,
Sophia was supposed to be dependent on her employers. However by the end, the Mayor's family
was dependent

The Color Purple Essay
(The Color Purple) Essay 'The Color Purple' is a novel about women supporting women and the
roles that Shug, Nettie, and Sophia play in Celie's life and the effect it had on Celie throughout the
story. The other female characters in Celie's world change her life. The positive influence of women
starts when Celie is young and defenseless and scared when she is taken away by Mr.__ until the
end when she is free but also a strong and confident woman that knows who she really is and her
feelings and emotions. Nettie is a very powerful character in this book in regards to what Celie and
her have. Nettie's relationship With Celie is that they are sisters. Nettie is Celie's younger sister who
would stick with Celie as long as she could and would do anything for that. Nettie has a big impact
on Celie's life as being everything to her ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Sophia is a very strong woman she is strong in most aspects Sophia is mentally and physically
strong. Sophia is a lady who doesn't put up with anything from men as she is very dominant. Celie's
relationship with Sophia is through Harpo and that's how they became friends what Sophia had
shown to Celie is strength and how She hasn't put up with anything she showed Sealy that why she
is how she is it's because she has been fighting her whole life to show that men can only do what
you let them do and for every woman like Celie there is hope. "She says, All my life I had to fight. I
had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my brothers. I had to fight my cousins and my uncles. A girl
child ain't safe in a family of men. But I never thought I'd have to fight in my own house L21" Sofia
is also very confident in yourself and has self Pride she doesn't care how she looks. Celie's life
definitely changes with the meeting of Sophia but showing Sealy how to be strong confident and
more independent and that woman rule and shouldn't be controlled by

The Color Purple
IV ThemIV Theme The Color Purple elicits multitudinous generalizations upon bitter
circumstances. The novel possesses a surfeit of themes. One of the major themes in The Color
Purple is the sexual relationships between the male and female characters, sexism. Walker stages her
story of the transformation of Celie from a female that is passive to one who eventually becomes an
independent black woman in the culture of the rural society from the 1920s to the early 1940s. Celie
is dominated by her father who turns out to be her stepfather at the beginning of the story. In the
latter part of the anecdote her husband Albert takes over as her foreperson. Shug Avery`s
relationship with Celie was the cause of Celie`s personality change. Celie wrote letters to God
because her stepfather Alphonso, told her to tell no one but God of sexual molestations he inflicted
upon her. Through the letters, Walker wanted readers to generate a taste of Celie`s actuality, which at
first is discrete, but eventually becomes stable and independent. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Albert`s son, Harpo tries to control his wife Sofia as his father did Celie. Towards the culmination of
the novel the traditional roles of male and female roles are everted. While Sofia is out doing hard
work during the day, Harpo decides to stay home and care for the house as a woman. Celie also was
handed the excuse to change roles with Albert. Celie develops into an independent businesswoman
and Albert becomes one of her employees`. Shug Avery and Celie shared a sexual relationship in
which broke the common traditional roles between dominate men and the role of passive women.
Walker used the raping of Sofia by a white warden who had disregards towards the demeanor of
black women through the eyes of a southern white

Color Purple Sexism
The Color Purple by Alice Walker details the struggle of an African–American women, Celie, as she
deals with her abusive husband and the absence of her sister. Due to the lack of love from her father,
Celie turns to her sister Nettie for support. However, she quickly finds herself abandoned when
Nettie heads to Africa as a missionary. The Color Purple is known as an American Classic
presenting scenes of violence and sexuality. Bouncing back and forth between the two gives the
reader an idea of the hardships faced by African–Americans during the early 20th century.
Historians consider the journey from degradation to empowerment developed throughout the plot, to
be a factor in obtaining the book's classical status. According to Newsweek, "The Color Purple is an
American ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One is sexism, defined as prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, based
on sex. For most of the novel, Celie sees sex as violence and abuse due to the experiences she has
had with both her husband Albert and her Stepfather. Celie was raped at the age of fourteen by her
Stepfather and until she met Shug, her understanding of what sex is was pain. Celie shares in detail,
"He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it" (1). Although Celie was raped at
a young age, Shug tells Celie that she is still a virgin because unless you enjoy sex, you have not
experienced the bliss of sex. As the story unfolds, Celie shares sexual moments with Shug, both
enjoying the presence of the other. The other theme of The Color Purple is racism. It is obviously a
huge part of the early 20th century and that is the time period in which the book takes place. Celie
and her sister Nettie both relied heavily on each other and when Nettie heads south to Africa, Celie
is defeated. Celie, being black, has had nobody or nothing that has brought pleasure and happiness
to her life except Nettie. Discrimination was heavily induced upon Celie on a daily basis

Essay On The Color Purple
The book I read was The Color Purple by Alice Walker. The story begins with 14–year–old Celie
writing her first letter to God. She tells how her "father" rapes her when he mother refuses his
advances in her sickened state. Soon after, her mother dies and she has a child. Not long after, she
has another child by the man she calls her father and begins to be concerned for the safety of her
little sister as well. Celie goes on to be married to a man chosen for her, Albert, even though his first
choice is her sister Nettie. All she does is work, cook and clean, care for his children, and satisfy his
"needs". Nettie runs away from home and moves in with Celie and her husband. That is, until he
kicks her out for not loving him back and forbids the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One day, Celie's husband's ill ex–lover, Shug, comes to live with them. In the beginning, Shug is
anything but nice to Celie, making her do everything for her and talking badly to her. As time goes
on, Celie and Shug become closer as Celie cares for her. They compare their experiences that they
had with Albert, and Shug teaches her things about her body and sex. Shug and Celie grow even
closer, and when Shug returns to visit she discovers Nettie's letters that Albert was hiding. They then
tell him that Celie is moving back to Memphis with Shug and her husband Grady. From the letters,
Celie learns that her sister is alive as a missionary in Africa. Soon, Celie makes a business for
herself designing pants and selling them. Eventually, Celie finds out the man who raped her was her
stepfather and not her biological one. Soon after, he dies, leaving Celie and Nettie with the house,
land, and store he owned. Shug and Celie's relationship goes on to mostly end and she moves into
the house she inherited to prepare it for her sister's return. During this time she becomes good
friends with her "husband", but still feels no attraction to

In the book, "The Color Purple" includes a big story which Celie's life is filled with rough times
throughout her life. It is packed with religion, gender, and race, it tells a marvelous story. This book
took part in the past where the job of females took care of the children and served the food and also
where males worked really hard to maintain their families. In the text it talks about how people use
colored people to get rich while the colored gets discriminated and left homeless. Both are really
different in this environment and that they don't go well together.
Different genders have different rights on what to do in the real world. Women are given orders on
to feed the male and the family. In this case, Celie is forced to cook in the family "I am the one to
cook" (1 Walker). Males are the ones who rule the house and the family while females do what they
are told to do.
White people disrespect colored people just because the different skin tone, rarely anybody is nice to
them. When Celie and Sofia Approach a young white little girl they both were respected based on
the girl's actions. "She seems like a right sweet little thing, I say to Sofia. Who is? She frowns. The
little girl, I say. What they call her, Eleanor Jane? Yeah, says Sofia, with a real puzzle ... Show more
Rich people take advantage of the poor people because of their different race and gender. "Harpo,
don't let Celie be the one bring in all the water. Women work, he says. What? She says. Women
work. I'm a man."(28–35 Walker) In this sentence, we can see that man in this situation wants to let
all the girls do all the hard work just because he is male thinks that he can rule the place. He is
treating the females as slaves since they cannot defend for themselves. Many people hated wealthy
people because money is power, power can make you just like a boss around. So eventually they
used their power to take colored men and use them as slaves against their

Color Purple Symbolism
Symbolism in The Color Purple
Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Color Purple, tells the story of a young black
woman in rural Georgia over thirty years in the first half of the twentieth century. Through her
letters to God and her sister Nettie, the protagonist, Celie, shares her struggles against physical,
sexual, emotional and verbal abuse. Through Celie's story and the stories of the other people in her
life, the novel explores the themes of racism, sexuality, spirituality, and gender roles. Walker
enriches the story and advances these themes through the use of symbols such as the sewing of
quilts and pants; music; and the use of colors. First, sewing is an important symbol in the novel that
advances the theme of the traditional ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Sewing quilts and pants provides Celie a way to focus her energy on creative production. This
provides her independence and growth much like music provides the same opportunities to Shug
Avery and Mary Agnes. Music however also has a dark side in the rural Georgia society and
members of the community see it as dark and seductive. This view of music and musicians liberates
the women and provides them with sexual power of men. Lastly, colors are important symbols in the
novel. In particular, purple, the novels namesake, represents Celie's fully developed spirituality and
an appreciation for God in all

Diction In The Color Purple
Over the course of the novel, Celie, became a confident, independent, strong woman. The novel
begins with fourteen year old, Celie, who had been repeatedly raped by her father and bore two of
his children as a result. Celie is scared into silence about her mistreatment and prays to God to,
"give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me" (1). As the novel progresses, Celie, is
sold into marriage to Mr. ______, who continues to abuse Celie physically and emotionally. Celie
continues to remain passive to the abuse and writes, "all I can do not cry. I make myself wood"(22).
Celie became numb and planned to bear through the treatment until she died and moved on to
Heaven. When Celie befriended Shug Avery, she made gradual growth in becoming ... Show more
Every woman in the novel is looked down by men because of their femininity. Must fight to get
what you want or be oppressed by men Women together/supporting make them stronger Women
aren't thought of highly Women helped to take care of one another P.9???? P.35 p.81 8. Theorists say
that students should read books that present real–life situations in order from them to be able to cope
with life better when they are out of school. Sometimes this reality is very harsh. Problems such as
rape, profanity, incest, homosexulity, alcoholism, drug addiction, and violence all exist in real–life.
But the censor's motto, according to Worthington (1985), is "better to deny than to face" (p. 48). The
following is a list of real–life problems discussed in the Color Purple that censors might cite as
reasons to censor the book. Are these reasons "better to deny than to face"? Take a position on
whether or not The Color Purple should be banned from the high school classroom. Incorporate
evidence from the novel for

The Colour Purple In The Color Purple
Purple is more than just a colour in Alice Walker's "The Color Purple". The colour can be seen to be
representative of a number of ideas: it is, "a colour suitable for queens" like Celie says; this means it
is happiness; it is illuminating; it is freedom; it is pain and beauty. Because of its symbolism, the
colour purple can be seen to have a significant influence on the characters' growth throughout the
novel and, therefore, is an appropriate title for the novel.
The colour purple in the novel can be seen to represent pain and strength. This can be seen when
Celie sees Sofia in prison. At first glance Sofia is "just about the colour of an eggplant"– an eggplant
is purple. Sofia's body is purple from being beaten up. The colour purple in this ... Show more
She has her own house and she now has the freedom to have as many 'happy looking' things in her
own house; she does not have to buy any brown, maroon or navy blue things just because those
colours are not too 'happy looking' for Mr____. The purple things in her room are reminders of the
hardships she had been through; from being raped by her father to being raped by her husband. Yet,
the colour purple also represents all the beauty in her life like her sister's life, her relationship with
Shug Avery and her pants business.
When Celie paints her room purple, this also shows a sense of ownership and agency; she takes
charge of her life and happiness. Her room is her paradise; her royal palace. Moreover, the colour
purple represents her independence and forgiveness: the little purple frog perch Mr_____ carved for
her is a sign of her forgiving Mr____.
I believe that "The Color Purple" is a fitting title for the novel due to the numerous representations
of the colour purple reflected above, and the way it reflects key themes and moments of growth in
the protagonist's life. Purple is not just a colour in the novel, it has multiple representations that help
the characters grow in various ways. The representations help the characters find happiness. Find the
beauty in their lives and break away from

Color Purple Deceit
In The Color Purple, written by Alice Walker, uses a feminine heroin named Celie in the
Southeastern corner of the United States. Through Celie, Alice Walker portrays the thematic subject
of sin and deceit by explaining her life through a series of letters. Although her life was very
difficult, she was able to find a way to get through it and become stronger.
The first sin that happened to Celie was the rape that occurred when she was fourteen. James Hall,
author of the article "Towards a map of mis(sed) reading: The presence of absence in The Color
Purple", wrote "The victim of incest, Celie had told her mother upon the birth of her child that it was
'God's'' which is another act of sin that was committed in the story. In the bible, Moses ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hall says, "The victim of incest, Celie had told her mother upon the birth of her child that it was
'God's,'" when really it was a man that gave her the baby. She seems to be trying to reference the
Holy Spirit when it gave the Virgin Mary Jesus Christ which can be taken as a double blasphemy.
Hall even mentions that, "Her protagonist has (in the first two pages) spoken the unspoken (the "I
am") and radically revised the mythic story of Christ's birth. Celie's path to selfhood involves the
evaporation of patriarchal Christianity," meaning Celie is pretty much breaking down the patriarchal
christianity style that was going on at the time. What's even stranger however is the fact that Hall
recognizes the fact that Celie seems to be portraying her husband as a god–like figure as he states, "
Her husband, in a further reference to the Old Testament God, is also unnameable," which is
absolutely true. Usually when God would talk to someone in the Old Testament and they asked for
His name because they did not know who he was, He would say something along the lines of "I am
that I am" which is really mysterious yet authoritative in a way. The sin just seems to keep piling

Color Purple Patriarchy
After closely analysing the text 'The Color Purple', written by Alice Walker, themes such as a
woman's low position within a patriarchal society and a woman's awareness and perseverance to
overcome these inequalities become evident. 'The Color Purple' is swift to establish the low position
of Celie, an oppressed female, within the patriarchy.
Bressler states that "As a social movement, feminist criticism highlights the various ways women in
particular have been oppressed, suppressed, and repressed." Oppression, suppression, and repression
are three elements seen throughout the main themes of the novel, 'The Color Purple'. Set between
1910 to 1940 in rural Georgia, 'The Color Purple' illustrates the journey of a young, uneducated
female Celie ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In 'The Color Purple', Shug Avery is an attractive, self–reliant woman who utilises her sensuality to
persuade men into having an affair with her. After Shug and Celie's meeting, Shug encourages Celie
to be liberated from the patriarchy that she has been held under for several years. Shug is also rather
persistent to put an end to Mr. ______'s constant abuse. This shows that when two women work
together, they can learn from each other, become stronger, and therefore accomplish many big
things. This is shown when Celie announces, "But I'm here". This is a significant moment in the text
as it shows that Celie has finally accepted herself and has the confidence to embrace who she is and
fight for her

Celie In The Color Purple
In movie The Color Purple, the main character Celie, is used to show how finding your voice and
asserting yourself can help you resist maltreatment. Celie made it evident to viewers that everyone
holds the strength to confront and overcome hardships, our textbook, A Woman's Book of Life,
describes this message periodically throughout its entirety. In the movie a memorable scene occurs
at the dinner table when Albert, her abusive husband, finds out that Celie is leaving him to go with
Shug to Memphis. Celie stands up at the table and tells Albert to his face, "I'm pore, I'm black, I may
be ugly and can't cook, a voice say to everything listening. But I'm here", this is the first time Celie
found her voice and used it to overpower Albert. It

Essay on The Color Purple
The Color Purple
BSHS 422
May 7, 2012
Erik Holmgren
The Color Purple
Human service specialists need to be proficient in different cultures. By being aware of how
different cultures think and react it allows for the delivery of services to be accurate. Cultural
competency is described as. "The understanding of diverse attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, practices,
and communication patterns attributable to a variety of factors (such as race, ethnicity, religion,
SES, historical and social context, physical or mental ability, age, gender, sexual orientation, or
generational and acculturation status" (Cross–Cultural Care, 2012). People who work in the human
service field must be able to deliver professional services and be able to work well ... Show more
In the movie, Celie was one who had very low self–esteem since childhood. She felt worthless
within her first marriage which was forced on her because she was sold to a man she called Mister
who only needed someone to care for his kids. Perhaps if she would have had the opportunity to
address those issues within her life with these few stages she might have thought more of herself.
One article listed some stages that should be examined in one's life to determine where to find one's
self. It stated," Cultural Blindness | Believes that color or culture makes no difference and that all
people are the same. | Ignores cultural strengths. | Encourages assimilation; isolates those who do
not assimilate. | Blames victims for their problems. | Views ethnic minorities as culturally deprived. |
Cultural Precompetence | Desires to deliver quality services; has commitment to civil rights. |
Realizes its weaknesses; attempts to improve some aspect of services. | Explores how to serve
minority communities better. | Often lacks only information on possibilities and how to proceed. |
May believe that accomplishment of one goal or activity fulfills obligations to minority
communities; may engage in token hiring practices. | Cultural Proficiency | Holds all cultures in
high esteem. | Seeks to add to knowledge base. | Advocates continuously for cultural competence
This

Color Purple Thesis

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Angie Jorgensen

More from Angie Jorgensen (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Color Purple Thesis